How to Become an ICE Agent in Wisconsin

Accessible via international waterways and having many rural areas for concealing illicit activities as well as urban populations that fuel the demand for drugs and other illegal offenses, makes Wisconsin an important base of operations for many dedicated Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents. Those serving in ICE careers are tasked with tackling criminal activities relating to federal customs and immigration violations, which often includes drugs, child pornography, and gang activity. Wisconsin is also the home of two ICE detention facilities:

Dodge Detention Facility in Juneau with a recent inmate population of 204

Kenosha County Detention Center in Kenosha with a recent inmate population of 182

Key Requirements for ICE Careers

When planning on submitting an application to become an ICE Criminal Investigator, the prerequisite needing the most time for completion is a bachelor’s degree in any subject. ICE jobs require a bachelor’s degree to be accompanied with one of the following:

One year of studies at the postgraduate level

One of four possible academic distinctions:

3.5 GPA in academic major

3.0 GPA in the final two years of study or cumulatively

Graduation in the top 33 percent of the class or major

Election to a national honors society above the freshman level

Another prerequisite states that candidates for ICE jobs must have one year of experience in the fields of criminal justice and law enforcement. This can be fulfilled along with the education requirement if a candidate majors in a school program such as:

Police Science

Crime Scene Investigation

Law

Forensics

Law Enforcement

Criminal Justice

Finally, applicants will need to be US citizens with no felony convictions and a valid driver’s license to be eligible for ICE Agent jobs. The age limit is between 21-37, with exceptions for veterans and federal law enforcement officers.

ICE Raids in Wisconsin

ICE Criminal Investigators can work independently within the Department of Homeland Security or in multi-agency joint operations involving several other law enforcement departments at different levels of government. Collaboration is a key aspect of ICE careers in Wisconsin, and working together can ensure a higher arrest tally such as in the following recent missions:

In Green Bay ICE Agents working in close collaboration with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department recently conducted a three-day operation that snatched 20 immigration violators off the streets. The collaboration, known as the Milwaukee ICE Fugitive Operations Team, is one of 75 teams operating in the US.

In Madison the Milwaukee ICE Fugitive Operations Team took part in another action, this time arresting 24 fugitive aliens in concert with their counterpart teams operating across the country, who all together made 225 arrests over a four-day period.

Thanks to the teamwork of ICE Homeland Security Investigations and the Milwaukee, Greendale, and Greenfield police departments, 14 known gang members and associates were arrested in a recent operation that was part of a nationwide crackdown on foreign-born gang members. All the arrested suspects had a criminal history and were part of the street gang Mexican Posse. The arrests were part of ICE’s Operation Community Shield.